How to Watch Channel 4 in the US (Outside UK) in March 2024

The sun never sets on great British programming and Channel 4 has a well-earned reputation for great shows. If you are wondering how to watch Channel 4 in the U.S., a VPN will get you direct access to the best selection of UK shows anytime.

Some people are skeptical about VPNs and aren’t sure if they are legal, if they really work and if the sites can’t really see behind the proxy and ban your IP address. 

But rest assured. We watch British programs on a regular basis from many states in the U.S. and other locations and know that a VPN will unblock geo-restrictions on Channel 4. It is a question of which VPN does it the best, but that’s for later. 

What Is Channel 4?

Channel 4 is part of British tradition, like crumpets and the Queen’s corgies. Who doesn’t know this major entertainment institution that was producing shows that shocked and thrilled audiences way back in the 1980s when the UK only had four channels?

You’ll want to know how to watch Channel 4 in the U.S if you have ever seen The Great British Bakeoff, Peepshow, Shameless, or Queer as Folk. Channel 4 also was behind the riveting documentary about Michael Jackson, Leaving Neverland that stirred so much controversy. See it for yourself and tell us what you think. 

Not only can you watch Channel 4 programs in the US by visiting the channel4 site (once you get a VPN, mind you), but you can catch up on a variety of British programs through All4, which hosts most of the shows on Channel4, along with E4, More4, Film4, and 4Music. 

However, you can only access All4 if you have a VPN. 

How Can I Watch British Channel 4 in the US?

A VPN is the key to unlocking the restrictions put in place by the British Broadcasting System. The purpose of these restrictions is to honor licensing agreements, and every country has its own contracts for content. 

The details are pretty boring, but the consequences are substantial. Ten or more years ago, people who asked how to watch Channel 4 in the U.S. were given the straightforward answer “You can’t.” 

Just think of all the poor blighters in the noughties who missed Big Brother: Live Final, Lost, and Celebrity Wife Swap? Well, they may be able to stream it now, but you have the opportunity to watch Channel 4 from anywhere, so take advantage of it by using a VPN. 

However, getting a VPN doesn’t automatically bring you great Channel 4 programming. You have to go to the Channel4 site and register for the service. This means you will have to provide a postal code from the UK. Browse the internet for one, but make sure it matches the place you have set your VPN. Now you’re good to go. 

3 Best VPNs to Watch Channel 4 Abroad

After testing many VPNs, we definitely have our favorites. If you want a consistent VPN service that will bypass geo-restrictions and keep you from getting blocked, use a VPN with a strong reputation from a top company. 

We don’t want to get into what can happen if you use one of these knock-off VPNs that seem free but have constant, intrusive ads that interfere with the viewing experience. Worse yet, some will even snatch your data. These 3 VPNs are truly the best if you want to watch Channel 4 from any country. 

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the top choice and has a stellar reputation for good reason. It has been rated the top VPN for routers, torrenting and iOS devices. With 3,000 fast servers in 160 locations around the globe, you can enjoy fast, flawless service without interruptions. 

This VPN has passed tough speed tests. Understand that speed is of the essence when you want to access content from a distance because some speed will naturally be lost. Express VPN more than makes up the difference. 

You can truly make this VPN your own with its split tunneling feature for custom services. This lets you choose which services are encrypted and which are not, which is great if you want to access some apps through your browser and some through the VPN. 

Do you want to watch British programming through BBC iPlayer but it says it doesn’t support VPNs. No problem. Express VPN is so secure that BBC iPlayer won’t detect that it is a VPN. All they will see is an IP address that is not yours. 

ExpressVPN has the best security measures, with 256-bit encryption and OpenVPN support. You won’t have to worry about a DNS leak interfering with your service. Are you concerned that your real IP address may be discovered by Channel 4 if the internet is interrupted? The Network lock setting is a kill switch that will make sure everything shuts at once so your IP won’t be vulnerable. 

Express’s TrustedServer technology ensures that only secure software is loaded by the VPN and operates using only RAM. This means that any leftover data will never be stored after the VPN is rebooted and it is impossible for a third party to retrieve your data.

ExpressVPN might cost a bit more than similar VPNs, but we think if you can pay a few extra dollars a month, its quality definitely justifies the price. In addition, the customer service is unparalleled. They usually respond in under 2 minutes. 

2. NordVPN

At a close second is NordVPN. Any of these VPNs will do, and NordVPN is also a good choice with 256-bit encryption, support for OpenVPN, and no-logging policy. 

Nord’s CyberSec Suite provides powerful protection against malware. This VPN managed to get through stiff censorship laws in China, so it certainly will let you watch Channel 4 anywhere in the world. It is also great to unblock other geo-restricted services like Hulu, Crackle or Sky Go anywhere in the world. 

Nord offers generous 5,390 servers in 55 countries with special servers for P2P and dedicated IP addresses. The dedicated proxies are linked to specific addresses and make it less likely you will get dinged for using a VPN. Speeds were solid with Nord, according to our tests, with only a 5% decline in some regions.

Do you like to use Paypal? If so, this may not be the VPN for you, because it doesn’t accept Paypal. But if you have a credit card you can enjoy a reasonable price and get a 30-day money-back guarantee if dissatisfied (pretty sure you won’t be). 

3. Surfshark

SurfShark is #3 on our list, but it is still a terrific VPN. Not only does it let you watch British programs from the US, but it offers unlimited simultaneous connections. You can even use it to stream Hulu and BBC iPlayer in the USA at the same time and stream from multiple devices in the same home. 

SurfShark offers many of the great features of the other top VPNs, including split-tunneling, kill switch protection, double encryption, and CleanWeb, which offers significant protection against malware. 

Surfshark has slightly fewer servers than Nord and Express, with 1041 servers in 61 countries, but that is a respectable number and definitely enough to watch British shows from anywhere. 

Surfshark wasn’t quite as fast as other VPNs we tested, but that may not make much of a difference while streaming. In addition, we had trouble streaming Amazon Prime from a mobile device using Surfshark. However, Surfshark is an economical option and offers a one-month free discount on long-term plans. 

Why Should You Use a VPN to Stream Channel 4 Outside the United Kingdom?

If you want to watch Channel 4 in the U.S. or anywhere outside of the United Kingdom, you have to use a VPN. It is simply the only way. You could wait until you return to the UK if you live there already or plan a trip to London just to watch your favorite shows. 

The best thing, is that once you use a VPN for a streaming service; you can try out the rest of them. Want to watch CBC in the US? TV3 player outside Ireland? ITV HUB in the US? A VPN will let you do that!

Now that would be an interesting version of the song Yankee Doodle. “Yankee Doodle went to London just to stream PeepShow”. The way to do it these days is with a VPN, and with the quality of VPNs we have tested, there is no reason to delay–you might just miss watching the next football match live. 

What Shows Can I Watch on Channel 4?

Channel 4 allows users to watch a number of shows from the Channel 4 network of channels. Below are some of the more popular shows:

 Derek
 Grand Designs
 Peep Show
 Coach Trip
 First Dates
 Amazing Spaces
 The Undateables
The Great British Bake Off
 8 Out of Ten Cats
 Come Dine With Me

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